Sabbath, April 5, 2008

INTRODUCTION

“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah” Jeremiah 31:31.

1. Of which covenant did Christ become the guarantor?
Hebrews 7:22
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

2. What happened with the high priests, the guarantors of the Mosaic covenant?
Hebrews 7:23
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.

3. What was stated about the priesthood of Christ in the new covenant?
Hebrews 7:24
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

“The high priest was designed in an especial manner to represent Christ, who was to become a high priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. This order of priesthood was not to pass to another, or be superseded by another” – Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, p. 930.

4. Why is Christ’s guarantee better than that of the high priest of Old Testament times?
Hebrews 7:25
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Jude 24
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

“Christ offered up His broken body to purchase back God’s heritage, to give man another trial. ‘Wherefore He is able also to save them to the utter­most that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.’ Heb. 7:25. By His spotless life, His obedience, His death on the cross of Calvary, Christ interceded for the lost race. And now, not as a mere petitioner does the Captain of our salvation intercede for us, but as a Con­queror claiming His victory. His offering is complete, and as our Intercessor He executes His self-appointed work, holding before God the censer containing His own spotless merits and the prayers, confessions, and thanksgiving of His people. Perfumed with the fragrance of His righteousness, these ascend to God as a sweet savor. The offering is wholly acceptable, and pardon covers all transgression.” – Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 156.

“Let us raise our eyes to the open door of the sanctuary above, where the light of the glory of God shines in the face of Christ, who ‘is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.’ . . .
“The soul may ascend nearer heaven on the wings of praise. God is wor­shiped with song and music in the courts above, and as we express our grat­itude, we are approximating to the worship of the heavenly hosts. ‘Whoso offereth praise glorifieth’ God. Let us with reverent joy come before our Cre­ator, with ‘thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.’” – My Life Today, p. 33.

“By His spotless life, His obedience, His death on the cross of Calvary, Christ interceded for the lost race. And now not as a mere petitioner does the Captain of our salvation intercede for us, but as a conqueror claiming His victory. His offering is complete, and as our intercessor He executes His self-appointed work, holding before God the censer containing His own spotless merits and the prayers, confessions, and thanksgiving of His people. Perfumed with the fragrance of His righteousness, the incense ascends to God as a sweet savor. The offering is wholly acceptable, and pardon covers all transgression. To the true believer Christ is indeed the minister of the sanctuary, officiating for him in the sanctuary, and speaking through God’s appointed agencies.

“Christ is able to save to the uttermost all who come to Him in faith. He will cleanse them from all defilement if they will let Him. But if they cling to their sins, they cannot possibly be saved; for Christ’s righteousness covers no sin unrepented of. God has declared that those who receive Christ as their Redeemer, accepting Him as the One who takes away all sin, will receive pardon for their transgressions. These are the terms of our election. Man’s salvation depends upon his receiving Christ by faith. Those who will not receive Him lose eternal life because they refused to avail themselves of the only means provided by the Father and the Son for the salvation of a perishing world (MS 142, 1899).” – Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, Vol. 7, pp. 930-931.

5. What kind of high priest do sinners need?
Hebrews 7:26, 27 
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
1 John 2:1, 2
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

“Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suf­fered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. ‘With His stripes we are healed.’” – Desire of Ages, p. 25.

6. How was the high priest appointed according to the Aaronic system, and how was he appointed according to the New Tes­tament?
Hebrews 7:28
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.